Dissecting all things Australian (and international) football, with a particular angle to what's happening where it really counts, on the field and in the manager's mind

Saturday, September 08, 2007

OLYROOS vs NORTH KOREA

Tony Tannousin Newcastle

That ends the running analysis of this match, hope you enjoyed the coverage, will have more post match analysis in the next couple of days, including coverage of Australia's next match, against Lebanon in Gosford on Wednesday.

Just attended the Graham Arnold press-conference. Overall he was happy with the result but disappointed about the final third and the lack of clinical finishing, sighting the couple of good chances that DPR korea had in the second half to equalise.

DPR came for a draw, but had to come out and play when they went behind, but overall lacked the imagination to regualrly break down Australia.

Olyroos best were probably Zadkovich and Celeski, both driving forward with regularity, while Topor Stanley did well as a driving left fullback. Local boy Stuart Musalik controlled the game with his neat distrubution in midfield and the front trio of Bridge, Sarkies and Williams were lively throughout.

A dominate performance from Arnold's men and they really should have killed off the game towards the end with zadkovich having a excellent chance. But they still had to survive the odd DPR chance with striker Chol Man rattling the cross bar on the hour mark. Skipper Mark Milligan named the official man of the match for his bullet header on 50 minutes, but Australia didnt really have too man bad performers.

In the end a deserved win for the Olyroos and for now they go top of the group on 4 points with Lebanon hosting iraq overnight.

FULL TIME, 1-0 AUSTRALIA

90' 2 minutes of stoppages

89' aussie sub, leigh broxham on for billy celeski, great game from the perth midfeilder

89' bridge plays in zadkovich, fluffs his one on one chance with only the keeper to beat.

54' neat build up from right, switched out to the left where sarkies cuts in on his right foot and clips in a ball to the penalty spot, which ward heads just wide. belting down with rain

50' GOAL, AUSTRALIA 1-0, Milligan back post header from a sarkies corner. Just before that australia had had two great chances to Bridge and Topor Stanly, well deserved 1-0 lead. Clinical header from the skipper.

48' ward playing in williams down the right, shot spilled by myong-guk, bridge pounces, cleared by chol jin.

47' zadkovich cross, mix up in the north korean defence

Both teams back out for second half, no changes it seems.

DPR defending with two lines of four and working extremely hard to keep Australia out. Clearly they are here for a bit of a smash and grab raid, but they look like they have plenty of pace on the counter, so Australia must be careful. DPR have shaped out as follows;

-------------Myong-guk

Chol Jin----Jun-Il----Kwang-Chon-----Kwang Il

Jong Hyuk----Yu-Chol----Su Hyok-----Chol-Hyok

-----------Nam Chol---Chol Man

Olyroos getting some good mileage out of the full-backs zadkovich and topor-stanley, getting forward regularly. Zadkovich combining well with Williams down the right, while Topor-stanley is getting forward on the other side whenever sarkies tucks in. Driving impressively out of midfield has been Billy Celeski, who had Australia's best chance about 10 minutes before the break who he drew a good save from Ri Myong-guk.

Australia dominating the possession and controlling the match with some neat interchange in midfield, but the koreans are prepared to sit back around their 18 yard box and invite australia on.

HALF-TIME 0-0.

45' referees patience runs out with myong guk, booked for time wasting, 2 minutes of stoppages

42' topor stanley just under a sarkies corner, punched away by myong guk who looks like he's already endeared himself to the energy australia crowd with a bit of time wasting

39' DPR looked a threat though on the counter, getting bodies forward quickly, so olyroos must be weary.

36' billy celeski breaks out of midfeild in box, played in by sarkies, header rebounds off a defender falls to celeski who draws a near post save from myong guk.

35' topr stanley lets one rip from deep on the left, just wide.

34' our first real spot of time wasting from the DPR keeper Myong Guk, staying down after claiming a sarkies corner.

29' celeski getting forward and mis-hitting one from outside the box, wide. vukovic rarely had a touch, but the DPR always looking to get in behind quickly down the right, in the space vacated by zadkovich, so leijer has to be alert in tracking the runs.

25' australia starting to press on down either flank through zadkovich and topor-stanley, zadkovich cross one from right to left, topr-stanley gets in behind and squares one across the goal, which celeski fires over. from the corner williams blasts a few metres wide, more good signs.

22' nice build up down the right involving zadkovic, williams and ward, results in zadkovich left foot effort from outside the box, good signs for australia.

20' the north korea 22, chol hyuk, getting forward down the left, often creating a three man forward line.

18' Olyroos getting on top with some nice control of the ball in midfield, north korea clearly content to counter

15' Australia create a couple of decent shooting chances. Looking to play the ball into Bridge, the target man. He lays it off to Sarkies who shoots straight at Myong-guk, then Bridge picks up a loose ball and shoots just over

12' pattern set pretty early, korea allowing olyroos to have the ball in their own half, pressing them when they get into their half, and looking to counter.

8' Australia's first real attack, Bridge holding the ball up at halfway, playing in Williams down the right, who tried to play an early ball to the back post, cleared away for a corner.

6.55pm update; not a greatest crowd because of the weather and a lack of publicity, about 2,500 to 3,000.

6.45pm update: the match will be refereed by Hiroyoshiu Takayama of Japan, with the assistant referees Toshiyuki Nagi and Hiroshi Tezuka, also of Japan. The fourth official is Ali Saleem of Kuwait.

6.00pm, JUST a quick one from Energy Australia Stadium with the team news ahead of tonight’s matchday 2 clash in the final phase of the Beijing Olympic qualifiers between the Olyroos and North Korea.

I can report it’s been raining here, on and off, throughout the day. We had another down-pour at 5.45pm (EST) and it looks like the rain will come and go throughout the night.

The pitch looks in decent nick, patchy in a couple of areas, but it doesn’t look heavy. Indeed, the players will probably appreciate the give in the surface and the Olyroos have already been out there, no doubt testing whether it’ll be screw-ins or moulds. I’d suggest the latter.

The Olyroos, who’ve been in camp on the Central Coast for a week, spent last night in Newcastle, and both teams held a familiarisation session at the stadium yesterday.

The North Koreans arrived at the ground at 5.20pm (EST), followed by the Olyroos 10 minutes later.

The big news for Australia is that Bruce Djite starts from the bench, Ruben Zadkovich gets in ahead of McClenahan, the in form Billy Celeski ahead of Leigh Broxham, while Nick Ward is in ahead of Djite.

6 Comments:

Great effort there Tony, I'll be there on Wednesday at Bluetongue, but may leave you to it and catch up the next Mariners game you get to up here. Had to miss streaming this one, so again thanks for the coverage!

With my rather flukey stream last night, you've filled a few gaps with that analysis.

I'm enjoying watching this particular generation, as they have two elements that we sorely missed at the Asian Cup - good technique/flair and tactical discipline. Funnily enough, I'd much rather watch them than our senior team against the Argies.

The lack of polish in the final third was no surprise with Burns, Troisi and Vidosic and all missing, so to see a weakened team play such nice football was pleasing and is a testament to our increasing depth.

I'm really warming to Musialik as well; sure, he's played well for Newcastle, but you never know if a player will step up to international football until you see them in action. Personally, I think he offers far more than the limited Carl Valeri.

Thanks all for your comments and ongoing interest and to Dan, thanks for the new interest, glad you enjoyed the radio spot...

Wayne, drop me an email with your mobile and I'll try to catch up on Wed, but if not, next time for sure...

tfo, some great thoughts.

Re; I'm enjoying watching this particular generation, as they have two elements that we sorely missed at the Asian Cup - good technique/flair and tactical discipline. Funnily enough, I'd much rather watch them than our senior team against the Argies...

I agree, I reckon this team is one of our best ever at youth level, so it would a damn shame if they didnt make beijing, but for all the tactical discipline, which I was impressed with on Saturday, they have to be a little more clinical. To miss out on goal diff would be hard to take.